Coin operating mechanism



Aug. 4, 1953 F. H. HUNTER 2,647,607

com OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 15, 1950 IN V EN TOR. j azwfiflmz Patented Aug. 4, 1953 UNITED 2,647,607 COIN OPERATING MECHANISM Frederick H. Hunter, East McKeesport, Pa. Application July 15, 1950, Serial No. 174,080

3 Claims.

which in operation of the devicemay unlock a a door of a receptacle of some form. The operating member may be used for any other func- I tion desired.

As a special feature of the invention it may be adapted for action by one or more coins so as to adapt the mechanism for various uses.

All of the above objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts thereof, as will fully appear by a perusal of the description below and by various specific features which will be hereinafter set forth.

To the above cited and other ends and with the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combi nation and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 are front and rear elevational views of coin mechanism embodying the novel features of the invention; 7 N

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and i Fig. 4 is an elevational sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now-to thedrawing more in detail, the invention will be fully described.

Front and rear plates are represented by 2 and 4 which are secured together in spaced relation by any suitable means such as screws 6, or the like, to provide a vertical coin slot or chute therebetween.

An operating member 8 in the form of a lever outside the rear plate 4 is pivoted thereto at id for swinging movements. In one position the upper end thereof may engage a door, cover or the like. As it swings clockwise, it may release said door. In the position shown in Fig. 2, the memher 8 is in operative position.

A stud l2 carried bythe lower end of the lever 8 extends through openings l4 and I6 in the plates 2 and 4 whereby said lever may swing from operating to non-operating position.

A pin [8 fixed in the upper end of lever member 8 extends through elongated slots 20 and 22 in the plates 2 and 4, one or both of which may limit swinging of said member.

A spring 24 outside of the plate 2 has one end secured to the stud l2 and its other end secured to an anchor 26 fixed to said plate 2. This urges the member 8 to the position shown and returns it thereto when moved away therefrom.

A coin release lever 28 is pivoted at 30 to the plate 2 and has a coin support or stop 32 fixed in its lower end which extends through a slot 34 in said plate 2 and into the coin space between the plates 2 and 4.

In the position of members 8 and 28 shown, the members l2 and 32 thereof releasably support a coin represented by C.

A link 36 pivoted at 38 to the upper end of lever 34 movably and rather loosely receives the end of pin I8. Thus, members 8 and 2B are connected-together at upper ends so that swinging movement of one of said members is imparted to the other. i

A bracket 40 is fixed to plate 2 and an actuator 42 is slidable up and down therein. A pin 44 extends from the lower end of member 40 through a slot 46 in plate 2 so that its inner end is disposed in the coin slot between plates 2 and 4. A spring 48 has lower and upper ends secured to pin 44 and upper portion of bracket 40 and urges the actuator upwardly when released from depressed position.

A coin support or stop 5-0 extends across the coin slot between the plates 2 and 4 and the edge 52 of plate 4 is turned upwardly to close the side of the space between the plates 2 and 4. In the position of member 28 shown coin C is releasably held by members 32 and 50.

In-the form of the invention shown the mechanism is arranged for two coins. As the first coin C is deposited into the upper side of the coin chute between the plates 2 and 4 it comes to rest on member 56 and member 32 of lever 38 whereby it is releasably held. With this coin C in place the actuator 42 may be depressed without actuating the mechanism. Hence, with two coins required for operation the mechanism is inoperative.

A second coin C deposited in the coin chute is guided by coin C so that it comes to rest on members 32 and I2 of levers 28 and 8 and is releasably held thereby.

Then as actuator 42 is depressed, the pin 44 thereof engages the upper side of coin C so as to cause lever 8 to be swung by said coin clockwise in Fig. 2 and counterclockwise in Fig. 1.. In this way the coin C passes between members 32 and I2 and out the lower side of the coin chute.

Movement of lever d'through the link connection described simultaneously swings lever 28 counterclockwise s that coin C passes between members Edand and out thelowersideof the coin chute.

The parts are so connected and arranged that coin C may pass between members I2 and 32 when acted upon by actuator 42, while coin C is released by 32 and i i! as member .28 counterclockwise. There will be sufficient relative movement of 3 and 28 to allow a coin tobe moved through l2 and 32.

Thus, when two coins are required, the mechanism is inoperative until both coins are in place. When the actuator is depressed the member 8 is operatedand the coinsare released.

As has been stated the member '8 or its equivalent may be utilised for various purposes andzmay be of anyidesired form.

It maybe desired that the mechanism beoperated on deposit of a single coin. Thismaybeaccomplishet. in various ways by directing these-id single coin onto members 32 and 1.2.

As an example, in Fig. 1 an arm 80 is pivoted to plate .2 on a member fixed thereto. Said arm carries a guide 6d which as the arm-is swung counterclockwise, is received in .a slot'zfio of said plate .2.

A spring tit provided on memberdZ urges the guide into the slot so that it is disposed in the coin slot. As a coin deposited in the .coinjchute it 'is guided onto and is supported by memberszafi and I2. The actuator may be depressed asdescribed to act on the coin so as to .bringabout movement of member s and release of the .coin.

As has been stated the mechanism .may be adapted for various purposes. It is positive .in operationand of such form as to be economically manufactured.

The invention may be embodied in .other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present rembodiments are therefore to be consideredin .all respects merely as being illustrative and not-as being restrictive, the scope of the inventiontbeing indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations-as fall within the meaningand purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure byLetters Patent .of the United States is:

1. Coin mechanism of the classdescribed-comprising in combination, a support provided with a coin slot, separate members mounted on said support for swinging movements, anoperating portion carried by one of said members, connections between said members for corresponding movement thereof, coin supports carried by said members for supporting a second coin in said slot, a coin support in said slot cooperating with one of the first-named coin supports to support a first coin, an actuator movable relative to said support having a portion to engage said second coin to cause the same to move said separate members for releasing both coins.

2. Coin mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, a support having a coin =Sl0t,xan operating lever pivoted for swinging on said support, a second lever pivoted for swinging on said support, link connections between said levers to facilitate corresponding swinging move- -ments thereofsupports on said levers disposed in said ,coin slot for .releasably supporting a second coin, a coin support in said coin slot cooperating Withtheooin-support 0n the said second lever for releasably supporting a first coin, an actuator movable on said support for engaging said second coin to release it from said first named supports and swingsaid operating lever thereby to release saidfirstcoin.

3. Coin mechanism of the class described comprising inv combination, a supporting structure provided with a vertically extending coin slot having an entrance and an outlet at upper and lower sides thereof, an operating lever pivoted forlswinging on said supporting structure, a second lever pivoted to said supporting structure, said levers being swingable between coin supportingand coin releasing positions, pivoted connections between said levers for swinging. thereof between coin supporting and releasing positions, yieldable means urging said levers for supporting a coin in coin supporting positions, a coin support on said supporting structure in the slot thereof cooperating with the coin support of the-second lever for supporting another coin in coin supporting positions or" said lever, guide-means mounted on said supporting structure-for-movementsbetween a non-guiding position and a guiding position wherein a coin moving downwardly in the coin slot is guided thereby from the coin supports of said supporting structure and second lever to the coin supports of said levers, and an accelerator movable in opposite directions relative to said supporting structure between coin supporting and releasing positions and-having a portion disposed in the coin slot to engage and act on a coin supported by said coin supports of said levers and thereby to swing said levers to coin releasing positions.

FREDERICK H. HUNTER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date --355;74 Wittenberg Jan. 11, 1887 1,010,231 Caille Nov. 28, 1911 1,649,365 Poling Nov. 15, 1927 1,711,021 Hoopes Apr. 30, 1929 2,1195548 .Laughery June 7, 1938 2,258,308 Williams Oct. 7, 1941 

